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Virtual Decadence
Published on 02/21/10 at 03:57
Choice motivated by the opinions here or elsewhere and the number of inputs / outputs in a small box. Not to mention the reputation of MOTU.
I need to register a real band after years to register in any single overdub or two. My previous card Line 6 UX 2 I loved not enough. And in addition, Line 6 is infoutu to walk its drivers and software PodFarm on Snow Leopard, so I changed everything. I still like the Line6 PodFarm dongle for the plugin (when it deigns to be detected) because I have plenty of presets vocal / guitar in, but it is not always detected.
Config: MacBook Pro 2.53 GHz, 4 GB RAM - Firewire (but before the adapter FW 6 / 9 pin, USB I tested and no difference). SM58 microphones for reweighed and Rode NT 2000 for voice recording.
I do not use MIDI input / output because I have a MOTU Micro Lite interface to plug my keyboards, pedals, control surfaces and electronic drums.
Live with Mainstage in Config 2, it may suffice to use one of the ultralite for my pedals (with a USB keyboard and more).
Usage: mix in rehearsal (vocals, electronic drums, Mainstage, guitar ...) and home recording studio
System connected to my listening / monitoring (a Soundcraft mixer, 2 Tapco S8 and system config Stagepas 500 for repetition.
UTILIZATION
Stable drivers.
I do not know if it's a question of technical feasibility but home listening I wish I had a driver that can be adjusted from Mac OS X, which is not the case (the buttons are disabled). Damage.
Especially if it does not output monitor in CueMix FX was no possibility to adjust the output volume (Main Outs 1-2) and this morning the surge in the volume sent to my speakers. Hence the fact that I prefer to keep my mixer between the two even though I could see how much it had an influence on the sound monitoring, which is a shame. Configuration mixing, I blunder and I go out live from the MOTU on my speakers. The sound is much clearer than with my old interface (Line 6 UX2).
Use listening to music on the Mac (iTunes) but especially with Mainstage and Logic Pro 2 9. Registration runs from April to May simultaneous max (for my needs) and reading of more than 20 tracks / bus with minimum 3 plugins per track without problem.
Buffer to 128, no problem.
GETTING STARTED
No problem. Small update drivers CueMix + console on the site and go.
Lack of a manual in French but it does not bother me more than that.
For someone from simpler interfaces which do not embark a mixer complete with full routing capabilities of the inputs / outputs, it takes time to adapt.
OVERALL OPINION
I've had a few weeks but I use it every day.
Before then I had an interface Emagic (very good if you do not need mic / preamp but a little old) and a Toneport UX2 Line 6.
I also tried a lot of M-Audio, Edirol ... I tested long enough and a Focusrite Sapphire.
What I liked in the PodFarm is the possibility of having a modeling preamp + compressor LA2A. Frankly, MOTU has it all a thousand times better. I am amazed by the efficiency of compressor, leveler and EQ MOTU.
Being a bassist, I have the galleys of neophytes too long to make a record low nickel to have a mix that is not of the slurry (Line 6, I avoided modeling bass amp because of it) .
Here I take directly out of my DI preamp pedal with a little help from my Rickenbacker Leveler and has never been so well taken.
If there was not this thing in volume of the main output Outs, although I would put 11 in value for money. It is a gear a little more expensive than what I had before. And I think that a beginner does not need that.
The pros:
- The compactness and the number of I / O
- Quality audio input and output
- The quality DSP effects
- Opportunities for CueMix FX (Some small details interesting example resume output hardware directly input via the input "Return" or having the input of the DAW return of the reverb DSP unused .. but if I find Good reverbs why not).
- The hand mixer that works even without the computer.
- The general stability
- The attractive price for the pro side of the assembly.
- The hybrid side to go to work with people who do not have Firewire.
- The mic preamp me seem to have enough left for my needs.
The -:
- Just the story of one day being able to adjust the volume of separate trips home listening (default output of Mac OS X) when there are several monitoring systems to control and master volume since the hotkeys of Mac OS X . But good in a DAW, no problem, everything works for the better.
- Better to have a little experience to use at its peak. Not recommended for beginners.
- To quibble, I have the software integration available in the MOTU (AudioDesk, Digital Performer) in Logic (just what they did to Apogee). For now with FX CueMix I'm doing but on a screen 15 inches macbook, it's a lot.
- And still more to quibble, I would have liked to have a system of presets finest: save a configuration of a single entry by example because I use my microphone inputs for both vocals and guitar / bass but I does not move out of my setup.
I would do this choice without hesitation.
I need to register a real band after years to register in any single overdub or two. My previous card Line 6 UX 2 I loved not enough. And in addition, Line 6 is infoutu to walk its drivers and software PodFarm on Snow Leopard, so I changed everything. I still like the Line6 PodFarm dongle for the plugin (when it deigns to be detected) because I have plenty of presets vocal / guitar in, but it is not always detected.
Config: MacBook Pro 2.53 GHz, 4 GB RAM - Firewire (but before the adapter FW 6 / 9 pin, USB I tested and no difference). SM58 microphones for reweighed and Rode NT 2000 for voice recording.
I do not use MIDI input / output because I have a MOTU Micro Lite interface to plug my keyboards, pedals, control surfaces and electronic drums.
Live with Mainstage in Config 2, it may suffice to use one of the ultralite for my pedals (with a USB keyboard and more).
Usage: mix in rehearsal (vocals, electronic drums, Mainstage, guitar ...) and home recording studio
System connected to my listening / monitoring (a Soundcraft mixer, 2 Tapco S8 and system config Stagepas 500 for repetition.
UTILIZATION
Stable drivers.
I do not know if it's a question of technical feasibility but home listening I wish I had a driver that can be adjusted from Mac OS X, which is not the case (the buttons are disabled). Damage.
Especially if it does not output monitor in CueMix FX was no possibility to adjust the output volume (Main Outs 1-2) and this morning the surge in the volume sent to my speakers. Hence the fact that I prefer to keep my mixer between the two even though I could see how much it had an influence on the sound monitoring, which is a shame. Configuration mixing, I blunder and I go out live from the MOTU on my speakers. The sound is much clearer than with my old interface (Line 6 UX2).
Use listening to music on the Mac (iTunes) but especially with Mainstage and Logic Pro 2 9. Registration runs from April to May simultaneous max (for my needs) and reading of more than 20 tracks / bus with minimum 3 plugins per track without problem.
Buffer to 128, no problem.
GETTING STARTED
No problem. Small update drivers CueMix + console on the site and go.
Lack of a manual in French but it does not bother me more than that.
For someone from simpler interfaces which do not embark a mixer complete with full routing capabilities of the inputs / outputs, it takes time to adapt.
OVERALL OPINION
I've had a few weeks but I use it every day.
Before then I had an interface Emagic (very good if you do not need mic / preamp but a little old) and a Toneport UX2 Line 6.
I also tried a lot of M-Audio, Edirol ... I tested long enough and a Focusrite Sapphire.
What I liked in the PodFarm is the possibility of having a modeling preamp + compressor LA2A. Frankly, MOTU has it all a thousand times better. I am amazed by the efficiency of compressor, leveler and EQ MOTU.
Being a bassist, I have the galleys of neophytes too long to make a record low nickel to have a mix that is not of the slurry (Line 6, I avoided modeling bass amp because of it) .
Here I take directly out of my DI preamp pedal with a little help from my Rickenbacker Leveler and has never been so well taken.
If there was not this thing in volume of the main output Outs, although I would put 11 in value for money. It is a gear a little more expensive than what I had before. And I think that a beginner does not need that.
The pros:
- The compactness and the number of I / O
- Quality audio input and output
- The quality DSP effects
- Opportunities for CueMix FX (Some small details interesting example resume output hardware directly input via the input "Return" or having the input of the DAW return of the reverb DSP unused .. but if I find Good reverbs why not).
- The hand mixer that works even without the computer.
- The general stability
- The attractive price for the pro side of the assembly.
- The hybrid side to go to work with people who do not have Firewire.
- The mic preamp me seem to have enough left for my needs.
The -:
- Just the story of one day being able to adjust the volume of separate trips home listening (default output of Mac OS X) when there are several monitoring systems to control and master volume since the hotkeys of Mac OS X . But good in a DAW, no problem, everything works for the better.
- Better to have a little experience to use at its peak. Not recommended for beginners.
- To quibble, I have the software integration available in the MOTU (AudioDesk, Digital Performer) in Logic (just what they did to Apogee). For now with FX CueMix I'm doing but on a screen 15 inches macbook, it's a lot.
- And still more to quibble, I would have liked to have a system of presets finest: save a configuration of a single entry by example because I use my microphone inputs for both vocals and guitar / bass but I does not move out of my setup.
I would do this choice without hesitation.